Endangered Species Act Turns 40 on December 28

The Endangered Species Act, the bipartisan legislation that is credited with saving hundreds of species from extinction, was signed into law by President Nixon 40 years ago on December 28, 1973.

This landmark law has been the catalyst for fully recovering 31 species, including the bald eagle, eastern population of Steller sea lion, American alligator, Lake Erie water snake and the Virginia northern flying squirrel. It continues to work today to protect and recover more than 2,100 animals and plants in the U.S. and around the world.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have assembled a wide range of resources to enable media to celebrate this historic occasion, including: